Madison Avenue Maxi [Hardcover]

Elke Gazzara (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2007

When Ben Gazzara and his wife, Elke, reluctantly agree to adopt the pet dachshund their daughter no longer wants, the couple unknowingly takes a new member into their family. Neither of the Gazzaras is a "dog person," and the sudden presence of a pet in the lives of these jet-setters appears at first uncertain. However, the ever-sweet, playful, and surprisingly smart Maxi immediately endears herself, and soon she becomes the Gazzaras' unlikely "child" in the empty nest of their Madison Avenue townhouse. The little dog accompanies the pair everywhere — to the theater, restaurants, dinner parties, world-class hotels, receptions for heads of state, and even the dentist. Madison Avenue Maxi is the story of a love affair between a dog and her owners. With heartfelt humor and a dog lover's eye, Gazzara chornicles Maxi's antics in Manhattan as well as at their second home in Tuscany and over travels to the French Riviera, Brazil, Spain, and other luxurious locales. Along the way she meets celebrities such as Roman Polanski, Gena Rowlands, John Voigt, Danielle Steele, Gay Talese, Peter Bogdanovich, New York's mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Frank Gehry. Madison Avenue Maxi is a warm, touching memoir of man — and woman's—best friend.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Madison Avenue Maxi is going to speak to critter lovers of all kinds with its unabashed adoration of an animal. If you've got a pet...this book will make you yip with joy." -- "The Bookworm Sez" column

"A nice gift book for a dachshund lover with a taste for the upscale life." -- "Constant Reader" column

"It's become fashionable to write dog biographies, and what dog could be more fashionable than Madison Avenue Maxi?...If you are a Ben Gazzara fan or a dog lover, and most especially a small dog lover, and even more especially, a dachshund lover, this book will pull at your heartstrings...It's harmless, pleasant and diverting--angel food for the recreational reader's palate. And right in style." -- Curled Up with a Good Book

"Tells an entertaining story...Fans of Gazzara, who often plays tough-guy roles, will enjoy this story of how Maxi stays close by." -- Bookviews.com

"[A] fun, breezy read." -- New York Post

About the Author

Elke Gazzara is a former fashion model who has been married to Ben Gazzara for thirty years. She lives in New York City where she sells a line of handmade, boutique dog coats. Her coats have been featured on the Today Show and in the New York Post. This is her first book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (November 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786720387
• ISBN-13: 978-0786720385
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,337,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A joy!, November 27, 2007

By 

Patty D. (Bridgewater, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Madison Avenue Maxi (Hardcover)

What a delight! In this already hectic holiday season, Maxi was a breath of fresh air. For all dog lovers and anyone who wants an escape that is both heart-warming and fun.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars heart-warming, sincere and full of love, November 25, 2007

By 

Tyler Douglas (Kansas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Madison Avenue Maxi (Hardcover)

"Madison Avenue Maxi" is a charming, well-written story that lovingly chronicles the journey of an adorable little dachshund and her famous people-parents, Elke and Ben Gazzara. I enjoyed the book very, very much.

While to some people, on the surface, this may seem like a simple book about a world-traveling dog and the movie stars, politicians and movers and shakers that she meets with her parents, this book is MUCH deeper than that. Honestly, when I read it, I cried. Maxi and her tale merely set the stage for a series of touching events that unfold in normal people's everyday lives: family struggles and discontent blossom into love, serious health problems become beautifully inspiring and healing moments, friendships grow and change, hardened hearts soften and in spite of unforeseen challenges, life does go on . . . and it goes on with style, with joy, with chins up and with a few barks and wags along the way.

Elke Gazzara paints a vivid picture of her "best friend" Maxi that will touch your heart and make you wish you had a Maxi of your very own. But don't take my word for it!!! Read for yourself. ; )

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A highly enjoyable read., May 9, 2008

By 

Lynda Lippin (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Madison Avenue Maxi (Hardcover)

Having a dog is no easy task. They require a lot of work and personal interaction -- talking, walking, bathing, grooming, and just plain old loving -- dogs need their people as much as people need their dogs. I always considered myself a cat person. I grew up with Mittens, our family tabby who died at the old age of 12, and since then have adopted several cats that I watched get old and finally leave the mortal coil. When we moved to Turks & Caicos I brought three cats with me from the states.

So when my husband, who moved a few months before me, started talking about this stray potcake who kept following him home smiling all the way, my first response was, "Please just don't feed it!" We had a disastrous dog adoption experience once and I did not want to repeat that ever again. Long story short, suffice it to say that Smiley's picture graces my Blackberry, we keep a supply of treats on the kitchen counter, and I now understand the "dog thing".

Elke & Ben Gazzara happened into their lovely Maxi in a similar way. Elke's daughter adopted a dog and then couldn't keep her. Ben did not want a dog in the house, and as a working actor with much traveling a dog was not convenient. But that little dachsund Maxi wormed her way into their house and then into nearly every high end restaurant, hotel, boutique, party, hospital, and several film sets along the way.

But Madison Avenue Maxi is not only about a dog, but about her people. We see Ben & Elke in good times and bad, going through health crises, career changes, unexpected travel, but always with Maxi by their sides (or under the table in a bag). It is a book that speaks to the common bonds and life experiences of pets and their humans, and while sappy at times appeals to the best in human (and canine) nature, a highly enjoyable read.